America's Got Talent (AGT) saw country singer Drake Milligan and his band wowing the judges and winning their approval on an exciting episode on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET.
The one-hour time frame was packed with some incredible talent that stunned the judges and the live audience and lived up to their name. The acts ranged from dance, music, and comedy to animal acts, aerial acts, and even Simon Cowell singing on a screen through artificial intelligence.
The hit reality talent competition has been renewed for the 17th year and is already famous among viewers, like its previous seasons. Fan-favorite AGT celebrity judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Heidi Klum are back on the judging panel to entertain viewers with their quirky personalities.
AGT contestant Drake Milligan quit Season 16 of American Idol
The 24-year-old singer was born in Mansfield, Texas, grew up listening to country music, and decided to pursue a career in the music industry. However, best known for being an Elvis impersonator, he initially chose to pursue an acting role. Drake starred as the "King of Rock and Roll" in the 2017 CMT TV series Sun Records, which marked his acting debut. He moved to Nashville for the same.
In an interview with Sounds Like Nashville, the AGT contestant revealed that he was about 7 or 8 years old when he first discovered Elvis Presley and thought he was "the coolest thing ever." He then researched everything about the singer and actor and tried to sing like him throughout his gigs.
After his stint on the TV series, the AGT contestant became a household name when he auditioned for Season 16 of American Idol. He impressed judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie with his singing skills and even received a ticket to Hollywood. However, he soon withdrew from the competition after the audition round.
In an Instagram post, the singer explained his decision to his fans and said:
"After my audition I decided that I wasn't quite ready for that platform yet, and that it would be a better step for me to move to Nashville and focus on my music first! It was a very tough decision, and it in no way reflects my experience during the audition process."
While in Nashville, Drake booked writing sessions with industry legends like Bill Anderson, Dean Dillon, Monty Criswell, Marv Green, Paul Overstreet, and Brice Long. He described the experience of writing songs for some of his heroes on his official website and said:
“The reason I came to Nashville is because all of my heroes are here. All the guys who wrote and played on my favorite songs are still so good. They wake up every day and want to write the best song they can. I wanted to learn something from every write. Writing with those songwriters was a rite of passage for me."
After a lot of experimentation, his songs were written, following which he enlisted award-winning music producer and industry icon Tony Brown and songwriter/producer Brandon Hood. The AGT contestant went on to sign a recording contract with BBR Music Group and released his self-titled debut EP produced by Tony Brown.
Drake performed on Season 17 of America's Got Talent along with his band members and won fans' hearts. Check out what fans had to say about his audition:
Last week, NBC's America's Got Talent (AGT) saw some talented contestants gracing the audition stage and performing their best to move to the next round. Some of them were Magician Merchant Vera, ventriloquist Celina Monuz and pop girl group XOMG POP. Avery Dixon wowed the judges and host Terry Crews with his journey and saxophone skills to earn the first golden buzzer of the season.